I Had a Date
by mcbrittlynn
Summary: Steve reunites with Peggy. Right now this is a one-shot. Do you all want it to turn in to a super husbands fic?


After the chaos subsided and the city was on the verge of complete reconstruction, the Avengers finally had some down time. Most didn't know what to do with themselves; Clint spent the majority of most his days up in the crows nest, keeping a watchful eye on the streets around Stark Tower; Natasha went in to training mode and almost never left the gym; Bruce lived in the lab studying the different forms of magic that seemed to exist outside their universe. Tony however kept Steve busy, grilling him every chance he got about his father. He was determined to find out why Howard had spent so much time with Steve instead of his own family, and as far as he could tell there was no real reason.

In the following weeks, Tony learned a lot about Steve that changed his attitude towards the hero. More importantly he learned about Peggy, that Steve still had dreams about her every night, that sometimes when he was alone in his bed he would cry at her memory. He couldn't bring himself to look her up, to see if she was still alive. He didn't want to risk more heartbreak if she was no longer walking the earth. Between not knowing and the fuzzy memories, it was safe to say Steve was a walking mess and no one but Tony was around to see it.

Because it was simply something to do (at he had a soft heart, but shhh don't tell), Tony made some phone calls and found that Peggy Carter had just celebrated her 93rd birthday at a retirement home in Brooklyn. He told Steve that they would be going out to get something to eat at a new restaurant as a ploy to get him in to the taxi. As they drove through Brooklyn Cap began spilling memories about life before the Army. He would point out pivotal spots and describe what they used to mean to him and how they used to look. He did his best to fight back tears as they got further in to the trip and Tony did his best not to notice.

They pulled up to the retirement home and Stark kept his mouth shut despite the angry words flying around the cab. 'Disrespectful' he called it, but Tony could hear past the anger and knew the Soldier was honestly just nervous; and he was, Steve began taking deep breaths, his chest heaving. It felt like a near panic attack as he paced the cracked sidewalk outside.

"I can't do this Tony. So much could go wrong."

"Kid, can you handle living the rest of your life not knowing? Regret isn't something you wan't to live with and love isn't something you want to live without."

It was the most honest thing he had said to anyone in months but he would be damned if he would let Steve get this far and turn around. He let Pepper move to Japan and leave their relationship behind (this time it was his throat that was tightening as he held back tears) and he regretted not knowing what it would have been like if he asked her to stay. It wasn't exactly the same situation but he wouldn't let his fathers idol live with the same pain.

It took nearly twenty minutes but Steve finally worked up enough courage to go inside, as long as Stark stayed by him. The receptionist was a nice redhead who gladly escorted them to Ms. Carters room.

"Excuse me, you said MS. Carters room. She doesn't have a husband?" Steve's words were filled with hope even though he knew that although he didn't age, she most certainly did.

"She never married."

Steve took one last breath before walking in to her room where she was sitting at a vanity having a nurse assist her in brushing her hair. He didn't say anything at first and the nurse who had escorted them left without introducing his presence. He could have left then and she never would have been the wiser. He could turn around and walk out letting her continue her peaceful existence here and just take the burden of his survival with him; and he would have, had he not notice her eyes grow large as they connected with his in the mirror. She turned around feebly and asked the orderly to hand her the walker sitting against her bed.

"Ma'am."

She took her time getting to him, but not due to mobility issues but fear. Was this really Captain Steve Rogers? After all these years?

"It's impossible…"

"I can assure you Ms. Carter it isn't."

She blushed as she reached out to touch his face,

"Please, Steve, call me Peggy."

Stark stood in the door way, a proud smirk on his face. Then a wonderful idea dawned on him. He pulled out his iphone and turned on some Frank Sinatra song Steve had been obsessed with for the past few weeks. Steve heard it, his heart seemed like it was floating.

"I think I owe you a dance Peggy.." He choked on tears as set the walker aside, taking her in his arms for support.

Peggy rested her head on his chest and cried, dampening his shirt. They only made it through half of the song when she suddenly collapsed. Steve went to catch her but she was deadweight in his arms. The orderly ran over, screaming in to her walkie about a code blue, pushing Steve aside.

"No! I can help her!" He pushed the orderly back but before he could reach her Tony came up behind Steve and pulled him off in to the hallway, "Come on buddy, you don't want to see this."

It only took five minutes, but the doctor came out and said they had called it. Peggy Carter had died of a brain aneurysm. It was quick and painless and she most likely didn't even register it had happened. Steve collapsed in Tony's arm, no longer afraid to let the Iron Man see him sob. Stark did his best to console his friend, claiming that the last thing she most likely saw was his face and her final memory had been their dance.

"She died happy."


End file.
